This invention relates generally to the field of standardized color systems, and more particularly to an improved technology by means of which reproducible colors are identified and related to a standard primarily in terms of hue and tint.
The prior art systems typically comprise a variety of representations of very large numbers of hues and tints, each having an identifying number or symbol. Such systems do, in fact, provide means for identification, but lose sight of the fact that not all of the many colors employed by artists are readily reproducible in various color mediums for purpose of reproduction. While small lots of paints and similar coatings are routinely prepared, the reproduction of colors on a printed page normally requires very precise printing inks which cannot be economically produced in large quantities, in more than a relatively limited number of colors. This is equally true in the case of the manufacture of other color materials, such as paints, pencils, color sheets, colored paper, acrylics, water colors, and airbrush colors.
As a result, it is often difficult to reproduce with any reasonable degree of fidelity the work product of an artist who has used a random assortment of colors in the creation of a work, with a corresponding loss in visual accuracy in the reproduction. Although computer technology has permitted the accurate identification of literally millions of hues and tints comprising the visible spectrum, the reproduction of such variations is still a matter of costly color matching using relatively complex technologies. Materials have been improved in recent years to permit increased brightness, resistance to fading, and other desirable characteristics. These improved qualities do not simplify ready reproductions of a desired color. It is known to use standard color sheets for producing original art copy, but, lacking a fully comprehensive standardized color system, the use of these sheets has resulted in limitations in reproduction.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,963 dated Jul. 23, 1991, there is disclosed a color system in which a group of twenty basic hues and accompanying percentage tints is used to permit the reproduction of the colors in commercially usable forms, the twenty basic hues extending substantially over the entire visible spectrum, and being chosen such that one-half of these hues are the substantial complementary colors of the other half. By limiting the number of basic hues to twenty, it is necessary for the printing establishment to carry in stock colored inks corresponding to the basic hues from which percentage tints can be readily obtained. With the use of a relatively small number of color variants, the teaching of color is materially simplified, and the translation of art copy into forms for convenient replication is facilitated.
The principles of the color system described in my above-mentioned patent have met with approval from many sources. The total of twenty hues provides a practical well-balanced working palette for the artist, and the warm/cool combinations and the color complements are easy to use and understand by almost everyone. Additionally, the printing establishment need maintain only a relatively few number of ink colors which correspond to these hues.
While such system provides a substantial improvement over previously used systems, it is desirable that a system of this type be adaptable to the colors which are widely used in CMY process reproduction, which are included in the principal colors known as No. 16 cyan, No. 2 magenta, and No. 10 yellow. Such a system permits the accurate reproduction at low cost of works using all of the twenty hues wherein all of the colors are obtained using only three process inks, and in which the colors are mechanically separated by known photographic and/or electronic techniques. In the past, the quality and color control has not been sufficient. This has been improved in recent years using digital separations which are electronically scanned to obtain more accurate values. In addition, process printing inks are considerably brighter, cleaner, and more permanent than in the past, making their use far more desirable than as heretofore been the case. Also, the costs are reduced because the separations and printing production has been greatly simplified. In addition, the computer images can be programmed with the CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) codes and translated internally to the RGB (red, green, blue) data when necessary. For the first time this makes color information and communication a connected understandable language that functions smoothly back and forth and in between all these diverse applications, the arts, copiers, computers, film, video and graphic arts.